Highwayman Lyrics - Ochs Phil

The wind was a torrent of darkness 

Among the gusty trees 

The moon was a ghostly galleon 

Tossed upon cloudy seas 

And the road was a ribbon of moonlight 

Over the purple moor 

And the highwayman came riding, riding, riding 

Yes, the highwayman came riding 

Up to the old inn door 

Over the cobbles he clattered 

And clashed in the darkened yard 

And he tapped with his whip at the window 

But all was locked and barred 

So he whistled a tune to the window 

And who should be waiting there 

But the landlord's black eyed daughter 

Bess the landlord's daughter 

Plaiting a dark red love knot 

Into her long black hair 

One kiss, my bonny sweetheart 

For I'm after a prize tonight 

But I shall be back with the yellow gold 

Before the morning light 

Yet if they press me sharply 

Harry me through the day 

Oh, then look for me by moonlight 

Watch for me by moonlight 

And I'll come to thee by moonlight 

Though Hell should bar the way 

He did not come at the dawning 

No, he did not come at the noon 

And out of the tawny sunset 

before the rise of the moon 

When the road was a gypsy's ribbon 

Looping the purple moor 

Oh a redcoat troop came marching, marching, marching 

King George's men came marching 

Up to the old inn door 

And they bound the landlord's daughter 

with many a sniggering jest 

And they bound the musket beside her 

With the barrel beneath her breast 

Now keep good watch and they kissed her 

She heard the dead man say 

"Oh look for me by moonlight 

Watch for me by moonlight 

And I'll come to thee by moonlight 

Though Hell should bar the way" 

Look for me by moonlight 

Hoof beats ringing clear 

Watch for me by moonlight 

Were they deaf that they did not hear 

For he rode on the gypsy highway 

She breathed one final breath 

Then her finger moved in the moonlight 

Her musket shattered the moonlight 

And it shattered her breast in the moonlight 

And warned him with her death 

Oh he turned; he spurred on to the west 

He did not know who stood 

Out with her black hair a flowing down 

Drenched with her own red blood 

Oh not 'til the dawn had he heard it 

And his face grew gray to hear 

How Bess the landlord's daughter 

The landlord's black eyed daughter 

Had watched for her love in the moonlight 

And died in the darkness there 

Back he spurred like a madman 

Shrieking a curse to the sky 

With the white road smoking behind him 

And his rapier brandished high 

Blood red were his spurs in the golden noon 

Wine red his velvet coat 

When they shot him down on the highway 

Down like a dog on the highway 

And he lay in his blood on the highway 

With a bunch of lace at his throat 

And still on a winter's night they say 

When the wind is in the trees 

When the moon is a ghostly galleon 

Tossed upon cloudy seas 

When the road is a ribbon of moonlight 

Over the purple moor 

Oh the highwayman comes riding, riding, riding 

Yes the highwayman comes riding 

Up to the old inn door.